Shillong (Meghalaya), Aug 15 : Amind Covid 19 protocols , the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma unfurled the tri – colour and took the Rashtriya Salute at the 74th Independence Day celebration at Polo Ground, here .
Only contingents from the Meghalaya Police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Meghalaya Police Radio Organization (MPRO) and the brass band of the Border Wing Home Guards took part in the march past due to the restrictions imposed due to Covid pandemic .
Sangma launched the Restart Meghalaya Mission today. This mission comprises a series of interventions that will give a push to the different development activities that were brought to a standstill due to COVID19.
An amount of Rs. 14,515 Crores will be spent over the next 3 years for the Restart Meghalaya Mission out of this, Rs. 7,839 Crores have been earmarked for this year.
Under this mission , farming and farmers lie at the epicentre of our rejuvenation plan and the state aims to move towards Aatmanirbhar in the production and marketing of agricultural and allied products.
A program for the formation of about 10,000 Farmer Producer Groups across the State has started. A corpus fund of Rs. 10 Crore is being set up to provide lower interest rate loans to Producer Group members.
Rs. 15 Crore has been sanctioned for the setting up of modern Markets in all the districts of the State. An additional Rs. 5 Crore is approved for setting up of smaller Farmgate Infrastructure like collection centres.
He said 400 agri- entrepreneurs will be supported in the purchase of power tillers with a 50% subsidy and a total of Rs. 4 Crores will be spent on this measure.
He also informed that the Piggery Mission has been restructured to suit the needs of a post-COVID world. Funded by a National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) loan of Rs. 209 Cr, Rs. 55 Cr will be spent this year. This will be implemented through Cooperative Societies & will benefit over 25,000 people in the state .
He said that the government has designed the mission to provide zero-interest, long-term loans to pig breeders and fatteners through the Meghalaya Cooperative Apex Bank. The Mission will make us self-sufficient in pork production while improving the incomes and nutrition levels of our people.
He congratulated the health and other frontline workers for being able to manage the COVID-19 crisis and making the state among the lowest COVID impacted states in the country in terms of number of cases per million.
